INSPECTION REPORT HATCHFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham LEA area: Solihull Unique reference number: 104121 Headteacher: Mr. G. W. Onyett Lead inspector: C.D. Loizou Dates of inspection: 19 – 22 January 2004 Inspection number: 262144 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 © Crown copyright 2004 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Hatchford Primary School - 2 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 445 School address: Yorklea Croft Chelmsley Wood Birmingham West Midlands Postcode: B37 5EG Telephone number: 0121 770 4050 Fax number: 0121 770 7518 E-mail address: [email protected] Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Councillor J. Allcock (Acting Chair of Governors) Date of previous inspection: 2 November, 1998 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL Hatchford Primary School is a large school with 445 pupils on roll. This includes 54 children who attend part-time in the nursery and 14 pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Need. The Additional Resource Centre (A.R.C.), which admits pupils who have moderate learning difficulties, is part of the school. From the reception year, there are two classes in each year group and three classes in Year 6. The number of pupils leaving or joining the school at times other than the usual time of admission to the reception year or transfer to secondary education is relatively low compared with most schools. The large majority of pupils are of British white heritage and there are 24 pupils of mixed heritage and 14 pupils of African or Caribbean heritage. All the pupils speak English as their main language, so there are no pupils who require additional support. Thirty-four per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is in line with the national average although the proportion with a Statement of Special Educational Need is well above average as this includes 13 pupils in the A.R.C. The children’s attainment on entry to the school is well below average. The school has a number of features which are aimed at serving the local community. For example, there is a ‘nurture group’ that includes provision for parents and carers who wish to be supported in helping their children in school and at home. The school also accommodates a community project that serves the needs of parents in the community. Before and after school clubs, “wraparound” care and a breakfast club make up part of what the school offers its pupils, parents and community. In addition to this, the headteacher has participated in creating European links with other schools as part Hatchford Primary School - 3 of the ‘Comenius Project’ and this has been successful in forming a professional development partnership with others schools in Spain and Italy, for example. Hatchford Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 18645 Charalambos Loizou Lead inspector Mathematics, Information and communication technology Art and design, Design and technology, Music, Physical education 11437 Tony Anderson Lay inspector 18568 Mary Sinclair Team inspector Science, Geography, History 4926 Thelma Aspin Team inspector Special educational needs, Foundation Stage, Additional Resource Centre 21235 Marjorie Graham Team inspector English, Modern foreign language (French), Religious education The inspection contractor was : Inspire Educational Ltd The Coach House 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Hatchford Primary School - 5 REPORT CONTENTS Page PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8 Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11 Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 17 PART C: THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN AREAS OF LEARNING, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 19 AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 and 2 PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 33 Hatchford Primary School - 6 Hatchford Primary School - 7 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT OVERALL EVALUATION The school provides a good education. The headteacher and senior staff have successfully developed an ethos in which the pupils can achieve. Consequently, the pupils achieve well because the teaching is good with a significant amount that is very good. Standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are below the national average but the pupils have made good progress. Although science standards are also below average the pupils could do better. The headteacher and senior staff provide very good leadership. The leadership and management overall are good. The school provides good value for money. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: The pupils throughout the school achieve well in nearly all subjects because the teaching is good The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher and senior management team resulting in sustained school improvement and rising standards Standards in science are not high enough because the teaching is not always challenging The teaching and curriculum in the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception years) are particularly strong The personal development, welfare and care of the pupils are strong features of the school’s provision. Support staff are highly skilled and make a positive contribution to the pupils’ development Very good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs, including those in the school’s Additional Resource Centre The school provides a very good curriculum. Standards in art and design are above national expectations Despite the school’s best efforts, unauthorised absence rates are too high The school has made good improvement since its last inspection in 1998. Standards have improved markedly in English and mathematics but less so in science. The quality of teaching has improved very well, especially for Years 3 to 6. The curriculum has improved well with a better balance of time, for example in physical education. The leadership of the school is now much more focused and provides a clear direction for the work of the school. The new governors and senior management team work closely and subjects are better managed by curriculum leaders. STANDARDS ACHIEVED Results in National Curriculum all schools similar schools tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E B E C Mathematics E E E C Science E E E C Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2 Achievement is good overall. In the Foundation Stage and the Additional Resource Centre, children are achieving very well. The children start school with standards that are well below those typical for children of their age and are making very good progress in all areas of learning. In Year 2, standards Hatchford Primary School - 8 are below average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. The 2003 national test results confirm that standards are rising rapidly by the end of Year 2, except in science, where standards are well below average. In Year 6, standards are rising in line with the national trend. Standards in this year’s Year 6 have improved in English and mathematics to below average, though they are still too low in science. In other subjects, including ICT, standards are average, except that in art and design the pupils achieve very well and reach above average standards. The pupils have very good attitudes to learning. They are very punctual and very well behaved but rates of unauthorised absence were too high last year. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is very good. There are very good opportunities for the pupils to show respect and demonstrate care for each other. QUALITY OF EDUCATION The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching is good overall. There is some very good teaching in most parts of the school, most frequently in the Foundation Stage and the additional resource centre. Pupils throughout the school make good progress in English, mathematics and in most other subjects but only satisfactory progress in science. The pupils use literacy and numeracy skills effectively in other subjects. Those with special educational needs are very well provided for by well-qualified teaching and support staff. Learning is good overall because teachers plan work that is based on very good assessments. Consequently, tasks are well matched to the abilities of the pupils but assessments in science are not as rigorously applied and so more able pupils could do better. The curriculum provides very good opportunities for learning throughout the school.